There is PTL 1 as a background art of this technical field. The publication of PTL 1 discloses a vehicle control device in which a lower limit vehicle speed and an upper limit vehicle speed are set, and when the vehicle speed becomes equal to or higher than the upper limit vehicle speed, an engine is stopped, a power transmission mechanism between the engine and the wheels is opened, the vehicle is driven by coasting, and when the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the lower limit vehicle speed, the engine is started, the power transmission mechanism is set in an engaged state to perform acceleration. Further, PTL 1 discloses a vehicle control device which determines whether or not it is necessary to stop the vehicle by detecting a signal or the like, and when it is determined to be necessary to stop the vehicle, the engine is continuously stopped up to a vehicle stop position to decelerate the vehicle by coasting.
Here, when the power transmission mechanism is set in an engaged state, the fuel supply to the engine is stopped and the vehicle is driven (engine brake), the deceleration of the engine brake becomes an addition of engine loss (mechanical loss, intake loss, etc.) to the traveling resistance. On the other hand, when the vehicle is caused to travel in a state in which the engine is stopped and the power transmission mechanism is disengaged (sailing stop), since the deceleration of the sailing stop is only the traveling resistance, the deceleration of the sailing stop becomes smaller than the deceleration of the engine brake.
Therefore, PTL 1 discloses a vehicle control device in which, when it is determined that there is a need to stop the vehicle and the distance up to the stop is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the sailing stop is executed, and when the distance up to the stop becomes less than the predetermined value, by decelerating the vehicle with engine brake or brake, it is possible to lengthen the engine stop time to improve fuel economy.